We just planted a large, dark Elephant Ear. It gets some morning sun but is in indirect light much of the day. We have an irrigation system and it appears to be getting ample water. It started out well with new fronds coming up and the others standing up well. Then I noticed it began leaning forward, and then 1, 2, now 3 of tis fronds are wilting before their time. I've cut them off and I have inspected the dirt around the plant to see if there was any problem. I don't know what is going wrong.
Other plants in the same bed are doing well.
I'm in zone 8a, Columbia, SC.
My new Elephant Ear has fronds dying
Any chance it is getting too much water and has rot?
With EE, you can sometimes see the rot at the base of the stem. It will be slightly mushy. I can also sometimes tell by giving a slight tug on the stem. If it detaches from the ground, you have crown rot.
EE corms with rot can sometimes be saved. If this is the problem, we can step you through it.
FYI, many EE fanatics hang out on the Aroids forum.
ROX
My first thought would be too much water also, I would definitely check--stick your finger a few inches down in the soil and see how wet it feels. Another possibility though--is there any chance some underground pest could be munching the bulb/tuber/whatever it is that they grow from? The leaning forward part is what makes me suggest that as a possibility, how I usually spot gopher-munched plants is that they'll be tipping over, and starting to wilt even when everything's been getting the right amount of water.
To be sure, I need to know what kind of EE it is. Depending upon the kind of EE (Colocasia, Alocasia, Xanthosoma) and the species, it could be any one of a number of things. EE leaves dying off prematurely can be basal root, root rot, weevil larvae (a particular bane of mine) or even just a simple lack of enough fertilizer.
Any pics available?